Darkness Betrayed
by Matti Russell
Summary: Why does the Atrox want to get hold of Jimena's new friend Mathilde, who just moved to LA from New York City? She just started La Brea High and already is in trouble. The Daughters must band together to find out why and keep her safe.
1. Mathilde

Chapter One: Mathilde  
  
Mathilde was a new student at La Brea High, having just moved from New York City to Los Angeles. She was a tough looking girl, even though she only stood at 5'4". She had strawberry blonde hair with eyes that were usually blue or green, though at other times changed to other colors. Mathilde had several tattoos on her body. She had a tribal band of pentacles and ying-yang symbols on her wrists, she had one with a crescent moon and a star on her right arm, one with a dragon and the Chinese symbol for strength on her left arm, and a tattoo of a dragon around the full moon on her right leg. Mathilde loved her tattoos.  
  
Mathilde was wandering the campus of La Brea High, looking for her first period class, geometry, when she walked right into someone. The person had long black hair and neck jewelry of some sort on. Mathilde couldn't see it. It was covered by the girl's tank top.  
  
"You might wanna be careful. You could get hurt if I hit you with my easel."  
  
"Thanks for the warning. I'm just trying to find my class. I'm new. This campus is way bigger than any of the schools back in New York. I'm Mathilde by the way. Most people call me Matti."  
  
"I'm Catty."  
  
"I need to find my geometry class. I gotta go."  
  
"Wait. I have geometry this period too. I can show you where the class is."  
  
At that moment Mathilde grabbed Catty and pulled her closer to her. Catty got scared, but did not try to fight her. As soon as Mathilde had Catty near her, someone's skateboard flew where Catty should have been standing.  
  
"Thanks. How did you know that the skateboard was coming at my head?"  
  
"I saw it."  
  
A few moments later Catty's friends came up to her.  
  
"Vanessa, Tianna, Serena, Jimena, this is Mathilde. She just moved to L. A. from New York. She's in our geometry class and saved my neck a few minutes ago."  
  
"Please call me Matti. I don't know what my mother was thinking when she named me Mathilde."  
  
Mathilde noticed that Jimena was eying her tattoos.  
  
"Do you like them?"  
  
"Yeah. I have a few of them myself."  
  
"I see. You've been in Juvenile Detention?"  
  
"Yeah. How'd you know?"  
  
"Been there myself. Know about the tattoos on your face."  
  
"Why were you there?"  
  
"I have an interesting past. I-"  
  
"That was the bell, guys. We can't be late to geometry again," said the one with blonde hair.  
  
"You're right Vanessa," said Catty.  
  
The six girls walked into their geometry class. The teacher sat Jimena and Matti next to each other. A few minutes into the class she felt someone trying to get into her mind and blocked her mind. She looked around the classroom and saw that Serena, Catty's friend, looked like she had been hit. Matti realized that she was the one who was probing her mind. To find out why, Matti slipped into her mind. She had been slipping into people's minds for years.  
  
At the end of the class Serena went up to Jimena and said something to her. They then followed Matti who was heading toward the gym.  
  
"Matti."  
  
"Yeah Jimena?"  
  
"How did you learn to get into people's minds?"  
  
"I can't get into people's minds."  
  
"Serena felt you in her mind."  
  
"Why are your amulets glowing?"  
  
"Answer my question Matti. We just want to help."  
  
"I've been able to do it for a long time. I don't remember where I learned it."  
  
"Matti, do you avoid going out in the full moon?"  
  
"No, I love the full moon."  
  
"What class do you have now?"  
  
"Gym."  
  
"We'll walk you."  
  
Jimena and Serena had all the same classes as Matti. The two girls showed Matti around the school and when school was over, they all went to Serena's house. Jimena wanted her fortune read. At about 6:30, Matti realized the time.  
  
"Guys, I gotta go. My mother will have a stroke if she beats me home."  
  
"Alright. See you tomorrow then Matti."  
  
"Yeah, Chica, see you en la manana."  
  
"Adios." 


	2. Unexpected Friends

Chapter Two: Unexpected Friends  
  
Over the next week Matti met many different people. A lot of the kids on campus wanted to get to know her because she was from New York and in their opinion very pretty. She even met some people who gave her the creeps. Yet these people, who seemed to have animosity toward Vanessa, Catty, Serena, Jimena, and Tianna, all seemed to want Matti to join a cult of some sort with them.  
  
On Saturday, Matti was heading home from Catty's house when she ran into Tymmie. He wanted her to follow him. Matti had a bad feeling about it, but she followed anyway.  
  
They went to what looked like an abandoned building. She followed him inside and they were hanging out in the downstairs of the building. All of a sudden, Tymmie got all weird.  
  
"Look into my eyes, Mathilde."  
  
The force of hearing her full name threw Matti's focus off. Still she did not listen to him.  
  
"No."  
  
"I want to show you my life. I know you can get into my mind."  
  
"Actually I can't. I think you have the wrong girl. I need to go."  
  
"You will look into my eyes Mathilde."  
  
"No, I will go home."  
  
At that moment, Tymmie grabbed Mathilde and trapped her in his memories. She couldn't have been in there long, because she did not feel completely drained. All of a sudden she looked up and there was a gorgeous guy with blonde hair who looked dangerous standing over her and Tymmie. He had pulled Tymmie away from Matti.  
  
"Leave me. She is mine."  
  
Tymmie did not seem to want to disobey him. He got up and left.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
"Matti."  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"Tymmie asked me to come with him."  
  
"Why would you follow him? I know that you can sense it is dangerous."  
  
"I felt compelled to follow him. Why do you care?"  
  
"I just do Mathilde."  
  
"How did you know my real name was Mathilde?"  
  
"You do not need to know that right now. You will know when the time has come."  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"Stanton. No more questions. You must go. Go straight home. No diving into people's memories and don't let them do it to you. Just go home."  
  
With that, Stanton disappeared.  
  
The following day, Matti got to school early just so she could find Jimena before class started. She found her outside the school waiting to be checked by security.  
  
"Jimena!"  
  
"What is it Matti?"  
  
"Can you ditch with me? I need to talk to you about some very weird stuff that happened last night."  
  
"Come on, I'll drive us to my house. We can talk there. My grandmother is out for the day."  
  
"Thanks. I appreciate it."  
  
"No problema."  
  
Half an hour later, Matti and Jimena walked into her apartment.  
  
"What's got you creeped out Matti? You don't seem the type to scare easily."  
  
"I'm not. You understand me more than the others. You grew up on the streets. With the gangs and everything. You've seen death and how it can tear a person apart. We are very much alike Jimena. I was in a gang back in New York."  
  
"So, again, what's got you flipped out?"  
  
"Do you know a guy named Tymmie?"  
  
"Yeah, he's not un chico that you should hang with. He's peligroso."  
  
"I followed him to an abandoned building last night and he tried to trap me inside his memories."  
  
"Are you sure he didn't get you?"  
  
"I'm sure. A guy named Stanton stopped him."  
  
"Stanton stopped him? That's weird."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Stanton is the leader of the pack of weirdos that Tymmie is part of."  
  
"Do you think they're gonna try to hurt me?"  
  
"Not with me around. Why? You scared?"  
  
"Nope, just trying to figure out if I need to manipulate them to find out their weaknesses."  
  
"I knew there had to be a reason I liked you." 


	3. Trapped

Chapter Three: Trapped  
  
Jimena, Serena, Catty, Vanessa, and Tianna were now all trying to keep an eye on Matti. Since none of them knew why Stanton would try to spare turning her into a Follower of the Atrox, they didn't want to leave her unguarded. For the most part, Matti started crashing over at Vanessa's house. This way there was no time when she was unguarded.  
  
Matti liked knowing that even though she was new in L.A. she had five very awesome friends who were already trying to protect her. It made her feel better to know that she could count on them. A week after telling Jimena about Stanton, Matti met Lucas. She had odd feelings about him, as she had with Tymmie, but she began to feel for him strongly. She did not know why.  
  
Lucas and Matti began to date. Nobody, including Jimena liked Lucas. They all said they had bad feelings about him. Matti didn't get any bad vibes off of Lucas when they started to date, so she decided that she wasn't going to listen to her friends. Jimena persisted the most in trying to stop the relationship.  
  
"Chica, tu es mi amiga. I don't want to lose you. You are my friend. There's something not right about Lucas. Trust me. I wouldn't try to stand between you and a guy unless something was really wrong. Por favor. Escuchame. Es muy importante."  
  
"Look Jimena, you're my girl and all, but my dating Lucas is none of your concern. I'm sorry. I know how to take care of myself. Lucas should be more afraid to be hurt by me than anything else."  
  
"He's bad for you."  
  
"I'm happy with him."  
  
"You don't know what you are saying. He's evil. There's something not right about him. Matti, I don't want to lose you. I know death. It's not my friend."  
  
"Look, I've gotta get ready. Lucas is taking me to Planet Bang tonight and I still need to get ready."  
  
"Don't trust him."  
  
"Bye, Jimena."  
  
Jimena watched as Matti walked away from her. She didn't know what she was gonna do, only that she wasn't gonna let anything happen to Matti. The Atrox wanted her and it wasn't gonna get her. She went to get Vanessa, Catty, Serena, and Tianna to bring them to Planet Bang, telling them what happened between her and Matti on the way to the club.  
  
Matti went back to her house and got dressed in a low cut red dress with a high hem. She went downstairs to meet Lucas and they went to the club. Something in her told her that something bad was coming. She looked up at the moon and saw that it was red. Her heart began to race.  
  
Lucas must have sensed the change in Matti because when she looked up in his eyes, he had concern in his eyes. She stared into his eyes and felt her worry in the red moon fade away. They headed over to Planet Bang to celebrate.  
  
They got through the line and security check at Planet Bang and went inside, where they found Vanessa's boyfriend Michael playing with his band on the stage. Kids everywhere where swaying to the beat of the song. Lucas led Matti out onto the dance floor and started to dance with her. Her hips swayed to the music and Lucas held her close.  
  
Matti looked up and saw Serena, Jimena, Catty, Vanessa, and Tianna looking at her and Lucas, their moon pendants glowing. She looked back to Lucas and realized that he had a knowing grin on his face. It was at that moment that Matti realized her friends were right about Lucas, he was no good.  
  
Lucas held Matti tight and she couldn't get away from Lucas. She felt the veil of reality shifting. Before Matti could do anything to fight Lucas off, she was no longer in Planet Bang, but in another dimension. She looked around and realized that she was in a lot of trouble. Meanwhile, back at Planet Bang, the Daughters of the Moon gathered around Tianna.  
  
"Can you follow where they went, Tianna?" asked Serena.  
  
"Yeah, but what if it's a trap?" responded Tianna.  
  
"We have to go after her. We don't know why the Atrox wants Matti so badly. We have to save her before Lucas can turn her to the Atrox," said Jimena.  
  
"Yeah, Matti's different. We need to know what is so important that the Atrox wants her. We need to get her to Maggie," said Catty.  
  
"Are you up for it, Tianna?" asked Vanessa.  
  
"Yeah, everyone hold on tight," said Tianna.  
  
Vanessa, Catty, Serena, and Jimena held on to Tianna and felt her concentrating on breaking the veil between the realms. Soon it looked like Planet Bang was being filtered through plastic and than the veil broke. They saw Matti and Lucas. Matti looked like she was being forced into a trance.  
  
"Matti! Can you hear me?" yelled Jimena.  
  
When Matti didn't respond to her, Jimena linked arms with Serena and Catty. Vanessa and Tianna followed suit. They let their energy build between them. They had to get Matti out of there.  
  
"You aren't strong enough to fight me, goddesses. Especially not here. I am stronger in this dimension and you do not have your precious moon to make you stronger."  
  
"You don't scare me, vato," said Jimena, "In fact, I'd like to see what you are gonna do to make my friend stay here."  
  
At that moment, all five let go of the energy that had been building so strongly between them. It knocked Lucas' guard down for a few moments. Matti was released from his hold. She began to shake his hold out of her mind.  
  
"Matti! Get out of here!" yelled Jimena.  
  
"I can't leave you guys. He's bad news."  
  
"Go! We'll find a way out."  
  
With that, Matti focused her energy and shattered the barrier. 


	4. Shocking Revelations

Chapter Four: Shocking Revelations  
  
Matti was back in Planet Bang. Jimena and the others were still gone. They didn't find a way out. Matti left Planet Bang. When she got outside she was approached by Tymmie and his friends.  
  
"Follow us Mathilde. It is time for you to take up your rightful place in the balance of light and darkness. Now is the perfect time for you to join the darkness."  
  
"Where are the others? You know where they are. Tell me where they are."  
  
When Matti said that the streetlamps started to blow out around her. She wasn't totally shocked because growing up she had been able to do different things. She could leave where she was and end up somewhere else, she could go back and forth in time, she could go into people's minds, move things without touching them, she could blend with the shadows and she could attack without touching. It was these reasons that the leader of her gang once loved her more than anything else. She was not easy to take down. She saw things before they happened and would prevent them.  
  
"You are darkness. It is time you returned to your master."  
  
"I have no master."  
  
At that, Matti dissolved into the shadows. She was maybe six blocks away when she started feeling confined. She had to leave the shadows. She felt threatened.  
  
"Show yourself. I know someone's here. You're not gonna scare me that easily. It takes a lot more than shadows to scare me."  
  
Just then, a man stepped forward. He looked perfect in every way. Matti could not find one single thing wrong with him, from his complexion to his clothes.  
  
"Come with me Mathilde. The Atrox wishes to bring you back to it. It does not like losing its Lectas to the light. You must return with me."  
  
Matti felt very scared. She didn't know why the thought of this Atrox would scare her or even what this man meant when he called her a Lecta, but it frightened her. Matti eased into his mind. He must not have realized it, because he didn't try to trap her or force her out the way others do. His mind was a scary place. He had killed many before this night. All who did not do as he wished.  
  
"The Cincti are awaiting your arrival. You will be brought before the Prince of the Night to have judgement passed on behalf of the Atrox."  
  
Matti knew she had no choice but decided to question him about Jimena and the others before she went with him.  
  
"I will go with you, but first tell me what happened to my friends. Why did Lucas grab them? Are they alright?"  
  
"The Daughters of the Moon have met their downfall in the one Daughter of Pandora who is Lecta. They will never see their precious moon again."  
  
He started to laugh but it was a purely malevolent laugh. It chilled Matti right to the bone. He summoned her to him and told him that she is to walk with him. They walked right thru the dimension barrier and were then in front of what seemed to be a court. On the way down there Matti saw Mickey, her lover killed by gangs back in New York. She felt her chest tighten. This was not a good place and it hurt her to see him here.  
  
"Mathilde, you have betrayed the Atrox. Between befriending the Daughters of the Moon and your purity, you have committed an unforgivable crime. We have found you guilty of treason and now you will pass thru these gates to the Prince of the Night for your sentence."  
  
Matti was led to another area where someone wearing robes with a Phoenix on it was waiting alone. When she entered the room, he told the Followers to leave him alone with her.  
  
"Mathilde, why did you not just stay away from all of these Followers? They are bad for you to be around."  
  
"Your voice sounds familiar to me. Who are you?"  
  
He took off the hood.  
  
"Stanton?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're the Prince of the Night?"  
  
"Yes. Why didn't you listen to me?"  
  
"Why are you so concerned about me and what does everyone mean when they say that I am a Lecta who betrayed the Atrox? Why did that man who brought me here call me a Daughter of Pandora? Who was he? What's going on Stanton?"  
  
"You are a Lecta, Mathilde. You are an Immortal. Your father is a Follower of the Atrox and your mother is a fallen goddess, now a Follower as well. You have many gifts because of your lineage. You are a Lecta because you were chosen by the Atrox for Immortality. The Daughters of Pandora were sent to stop the Daughters of the Moon from taking down the Atrox. You are one of them... the same as the Daughters of the Moon, but dark. The man who brought you here is a Regulator. They hunt the Followers who disobey the Atrox. You betrayed the Atrox because you will not hurt or turn people to the Atrox. Now because of it you have to face me and I wish it weren't so."  
  
"Where did you find out my full first name?"  
  
"I know your father."  
  
"Who is my father? I would like to know, seeing as how I've never met him."  
  
"It is not important right now."  
  
"I have to go Stanton. I have things that I need to take care of right now. Why don't you come see me later? Something tells me that you know where to find me."  
  
Before Stanton could argue, Matti left. She went to Hollywood Blvd. and was just walking around. After awhile she came into the presence of a woman who looked elderly, but not really. Matti had seen her with Jimena before. Now she was wondering if she could help her. 


	5. Maggie

Chapter Five: Maggie  
  
"Excuse me. Do you know my friend Jimena?"  
  
"Yes I do."  
  
"I'm Mathilde. I go to school with Vanessa, Catty, Serena, Tianna, and Jimena. How well do you know them?"  
  
"I know them very well. You can say that I am a teacher of theirs. My name is Maggie Craven."  
  
"Hi. Can we talk someplace quietly?"  
  
"What is wrong?"  
  
"Vanessa, Catty, Serena, Tianna, and Jimena are in trouble. Can we go someplace to talk?"  
  
"Of course. Follow me."  
  
A quarter of an hour later, Maggie and Matti walked into Maggie's apartment.  
  
"Please, have a seat, Mathilde and tell me what is going on."  
  
"I've been dating this guy named Lucas that none of the girls liked. Tonight I was at Planet Bang and Lucas brought me into another dimension. Catty, Jimena, Serena, Tianna, and Vanessa followed me there. They used energy to make Lucas let go of me which brought me back to this dimension, but they are now stuck with Lucas in the other dimension. I could probably get back to them, but I don't know what I'm facing. I've found out some pretty weird shit tonight and I'm a bit confused."  
  
"What have you heard tonight?"  
  
"I was told that I am a Daughter of Pandora who was sent here to stop the Daughters of the Moon. I found out that I am a Lecta, whose parents are Followers of the Atrox and my mother is a fallen goddess."  
  
"Do you want to hurt Jimena and the others?"  
  
"No. I want to help them."  
  
"Then use the gifts that you have. Paralyze Lucas' mind and bring them back here. They will know how to take care of the rest."  
  
"Alright."  
  
An hour later, Matti showed up back at Planet Bang. She wasn't sure what she was going to do once she got into the other dimension, but one thing was certain...she couldn't leave Jimena and the others there. She went to the dance floor, to the exact spot where Lucas had dragged her into another world.  
  
Once she reached Lucas' energy she focused with all her will. She knew she would have to follow his energy to find the others and that was her number one priority. After focusing for a few moments, she felt the barrier between the dimensions shatter. She was back where Lucas had held her captive not long before. He wasn't in front of her, but she felt the others more strongly. She decided to follow that instead of him, in case she could locate them first.  
  
Matti found Jimena and the others after what seemed like an eternity. They seemed to be lost in this new dimension, even though Tianna was trying to find a way to get them out of there. She ran over to them, and when she reached them they jumped.  
  
"What are you doing back here, Matti?" asked Tianna.  
  
"I came to get you guys and help."  
  
"Matti, how did you get back here?" asked Jimena.  
  
"I have gifts as well."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Catty.  
  
"Look, we don't have time...Lucas can come back at any moment."  
  
At that exact moment Lucas materialized from the shadows. He walked over to where Tianna, Catty, Vanessa, Serena, and Jimena were. He didn't see Matti at first. When he did, a wicked smile played across his lips.  
  
"You have returned Matti. You are very foolish. The Atrox will definitely punish you. Your father will be most displeased. Your mother as well. Followers should not turn to the light as you have."  
  
Catty, Vanessa, Tianna, and Serena looked confused. Jimena on the other hand, looked furious.  
  
"You mean to tell us that all this time we were trying to protect you from the Atrox, you were working for it?"  
  
"Jimena, as soon as we get out of here I will explain everything that I found out. I promise. Calmate, por favor."  
  
Jimena still looked angry but she let it go.  
  
"Who said you will walk out of here, Matti? There are Regulators looking to destroy you. As for the other five, I will receive high honors for taking down the Daughters of the Moon."  
  
"Why don't you take me on, Lucas? One on one?"  
  
"You do not have the power to take me on Mathilde. Besides you don't know-"  
  
At that exact moment, Matti let go of all the energy that had been building inside of her. It hit Lucas so unexpectedly that it accomplished just what she set out to do...paralyze his mind.  
  
"Quick! I don't know how long I can keep his mind down. Maggie said you would know what to do once his mind was paralyzed!" exclaimed Matti.  
  
Tianna, Catty, Vanessa, Serena, and Jimena leaned against each other, letting the power generate between them. When the energy between them was visible, they let it go. The energy rushed at Lucas, and the impact sent him to the floor in pain.  
  
Seeing their opportunity, the girls grabbed hold of Tianna and Jimena grabbed Matti and brought her close. Within seconds Tianna had all six of them back at Planet Bang. When they got there, Jimena released Matti. She was angry. 


	6. Face the Music

Chapter Six: Face the Music  
  
Jimena was furious with Matti. She hadn't told her that she was the child of followers or a Lecta. Matti knew that Jimena didn't trust her right now, but Jimena had been the best friend Matti had since she had moved from New York. She didn't want to lose that, especially over something she herself had just found out a few hours before.  
  
"Jimena, please give me a chance to explain everything. I promise I will tell you the truth and let you ask any questions you want. I will tell you everything I know."  
  
"You're a Follower! You expect me to trust you?!"  
  
"No, my parents are Followers. I never knew. My mother doesn't exactly run around telling me I belong to an ancient evil. I swear Jimena, I never knew any of this until I left you in the other dimension and wound up back in Planet Bang."  
  
Jimena didn't look like she was gonna give in. Serena decided to probe in Matti's mind to find if she was being honest. She looked through all of her memories and thoughts. Matti didn't even try to stop her. She knew that Matti was being honest with them.  
  
"Jimena, she's telling the truth. She found out tonight."  
  
"How did you find out, Matti?" asked Catty.  
  
"When I got back to this dimension, I realized I needed to find a way to help you guys. I ran into Tymmie outside of Planet Bang. He was saying he needed to take me back to my master. I dissolved into shadow and fled. When I felt constricted by the shadows I reformed myself. A man I later found out to be a Regulator took me to another place, where I met the Cincti who decided the Prince of Night was to sentence me for crimes against the Atrox. I didn't know Stanton was the Prince of the Night. He had a sadness to him about my being in trouble that I don't understand, but he wouldn't answer my questions, so I ran."  
  
"And you got away?" asked Jimena.  
  
"Part of me thinks that Stanton doesn't want to see me punished."  
  
"Why would he not want you punished?" asked Vanessa.  
  
"I don't know, but he told me that he wished I didn't have to face him, that I should've listened to his warnings to avoid the Followers."  
  
"That's weird. Followers usually don't care," said Tianna.  
  
"I know. I don't understand it myself, but he didn't stop me from running."  
  
"Where did you go?" asked Jimena.  
  
"I found your friend Maggie. I told her what was going on and what I had found out. She told me that I could use my gifts to save you instead of harm you. It was Maggie who told me to paralyze Lucas to give an opportunity to get out of the other dimension."  
  
Jimena looked as if she was gonna forgive Matti.  
  
"Are there any other things we should know about?" she asked Matti.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"What are your gifts?" asked Catty.  
  
"I can time travel, dissolve into shadows, read minds, teleport, telekinesis, and psychic attacks."  
  
"How can you do all of that?" asked Serena.  
  
"I don't know. I've been able to do it for so long, I never questioned it."  
  
"Do you have any other secrets? Who are your parents?" asked Jimena.  
  
"You have all met my mom. I think she's my real mother. As far as I know she is. As for my dad, I have no idea. I've never met him and Stanton wouldn't tell me."  
  
"Alright, I believe you. But from now on, just tell us the truth. We can't let the Atrox get hold of you anymore," said Jimena.  
  
"I'm with you. I don't want those Regulators getting hold of me. I need help."  
  
"You need to talk to your mom to find out what you can. Find out if she's really your mother," said Serena, "then we can help you. It's not like you're the only one with Followers for parents. Catty's dad is a Follower and her mom was also a fallen goddess. We can deal with this. Let's just find out what we can before we act."  
  
"Alright. I need to get home. My mom is gonna be pissed that I'm out so late," said Matti.  
  
The girls all got into Jimena's car and drove off from Planet Bang. Jimena dropped Matti off first. Matti knew that the other five were gonna go see Maggie when they left. She waved good-bye to her friends and walked up the path to her house.  
  
When she got inside the house she put her keys on the table and turned on the lights. She walked into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich. After she ate the sandwich, she went up to her mother's bedroom and checked to see if she was home... She wasn't.  
  
Feeling a little nervous, Matti sat down and turned on the television. She was watching A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors trying to relax herself. She had the uneasy feeling that she was being watched. She got up to check the windows and the doors in the house to make sure that everything was locked. When she got upstairs, however, she realized she wasn't.  
  
Sitting on her bed was her mother. She realized than that her mother really was her mother, because her mom had not been in the house forty minutes before when she had come home. She realized that her mother also had the ability to dissolve into the shadows.  
  
"Mom?"  
  
"You know."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that I'm evil?"  
  
"Because I recognized your friends and didn't want to put you against them. They're trying so hard to protect you. Besides, you never made the decision to be evil. You've always been the opposite of your father and I."  
  
"Who is my father, Mom?"  
  
"You don't need to know that right now."  
  
"What's going on? There are Regulators looking for me. What's gonna happen to me?"  
  
Matti's mom really looked worried now. She knew what it meant to have Regulators chasing you. They had chased her for a long time, until a new Follower finally took the place of Prince of the Night.  
  
"Matti, you must be very careful. Sleep with your shields up. Don't let anyone in your mind anymore. The Regulators can find you that way. They will destroy you."  
  
"Mom, have you known all this time what I can do? Did you know that I was a Lecta?"  
  
"Yes. I was at your Cold Fire ceremony."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"It's where the Atrox burns away your mortality and grants you immortality. You were only five years old. Your father and I were proud to have you be chosen as a Lecta at such a young age. It doesn't usually happen."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"Because of your abilities. You can help the Atrox destroy the Daughters of the Moon."  
  
"I won't do it."  
  
"Because they are your friends?"  
  
Matti paused for a moment. Deep down she always knew that there was something about her five best friends. Maybe she knew they were goddesses all along.  
  
"Because I don't work for evil. I work for the good in the world. I don't want it to be destroyed."  
  
"You will be destroyed."  
  
"Then I get destroyed. I won't work for the Atrox... Ever!"  
  
Matti ran out of her room and bounded out of the house. She didn't know what she was gonna do. She didn't want to go to Vanessa's house and sit with Mrs. Cleveland. She didn't want to go into the gang neighborhoods to Jimena's house. Catty was spending the night with Tianna so she didn't want to go to either of their houses. She thought about Serena's house. She made up her mind.  
  
Matti dissolved into shadow and went toward Serena's house. When she was partway there, she felt a presence pulling her back into her solid form. Before it could force the change, she reformed herself.  
  
"Mathilde. I'm so glad that I found you myself," said the man coming towards her. He looked perfect in every way and she knew at once this was another Regulator. The lights in the street went out and she knew it was him this time, not her.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"You will return with me. The members of the Cincti are awaiting you. You will pay for your crimes against the Atrox."  
  
"Or so you think."  
  
Matti took a very big chance and threw all her energy at the Regulator. He wasn't expecting it and it made him stagger backward. Matti took her opportunity and disappeared out of the neighborhood she was in and landed right in the middle of something she never wanted involvement in again... Her past in the gangs. 


	7. Escape From the Past

Chapter Seven: Escape From the Past  
  
Matti looked up. She landed right in the middle of the hallway in her old high school, Coney Island High School. She looked at the watch that she always kept on her wrist and saw the date... It was March 19, 2002. She had somehow gone back almost a year! She had never been able to do that.  
  
"Russell! You belong in your first period class already. Do you need to be brought to the Dean for cutting?"  
  
Matti looked behind her and saw one of the security guards who was on the payroll of her enemy gang... And always trying to kill her in school. She saw the usual predatory look in his eyes.  
  
"What do you want Travis? I don't have time for this."  
  
"You're cutting class. I'm taking you to the dean's office."  
  
"In your wildest dreams. You'd have to catch me first."  
  
Matti darted to the stairwell in the science wing. She ran down the first two flights of stairs and ran out of the stairwell and down to the History wing of the school. When she got into the history wing she began to search for Mr. Johnson, her favorite teacher. She found his class just before she heard Travis pounding down the hall behind her.  
  
Matti ducked into Mr. Johnson's Freshman class and, without saying anything, hid in the cabinet by the window. Seconds after she closed the cabinet door, she heard Travis come into the classroom.  
  
"I'm sorry to disturb you Mr. Johnson, but have you seen Mathilde Russell today? She's cutting class again and I need to bring her to the dean's office."  
  
"No, I haven't. I will, however, talk to her when I see her."  
  
"Thanks. If you see her, call security."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Matti heard Travis leave and a few seconds later, Mr. Johnson opened the door of the cabinet.  
  
"Good morning Matti. How are you today?"  
  
Matti looked up and smiled at her favorite teacher.  
  
"I'm good. How are you?"  
  
"Why are you running from security?"  
  
"Hard to explain. When is your free period?"  
  
"You know that my free period is fifth period."  
  
"Right. I'll explain things to you then, okay. I'm gonna leave you to your class."  
  
"Matti?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are you in trouble?"  
  
"More than you know. I'll talk to you later."  
  
Matti walked out of the classroom and cautiously looked down the hall. When she was sure that nobody was there, she ran to where she knew she could find herself... The football field. She knew she would be outside with Mickey right now and could have both her past and future selves together without scaring him.  
  
Matti snuck out to the football from over by the girl's gym with the tennis gym class. She walked around the football field with the team and when they got over by the bleachers, she climbed up and walked over to Mickey and herself. Mickey looked thoroughly surprised.  
  
"Matti? I thought you're not supposed to see yourself time travel."  
  
"I'm not," said both Mattis in unison.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Mickey.  
  
"I'm from the future. I had to escape to save my life. I somehow wound up back here in Brooklyn. I didn't mean to time travel. I was just trying to teleport. Something must've gone wrong."  
  
"Why did you need to run?"  
  
"Because there was one nasty little shit following me trying to destroy me."  
  
"Where? Bring me there."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Mickey, I just can't. You can't help me in the future."  
  
"Why not? I'm here to protect you Matti."  
  
Matti thought about telling him the truth. The reason he couldn't help her was because he was dead... Killed by Travis to protect her. She couldn't bring herself to shatter him like that so she told a half-truth.  
  
"Because I'm in California in the future. My mom is gonna move to Los Angeles."  
  
"What can I do for you then? You wouldn't have come to see me if you wouldn't have thought there was no way for me to help. What do you need?"  
  
"Someplace to hide. I can't go back home with the other part of myself. I'll get killed. I don't think I can make the jump like I did again... It would be too dangerous. They'll be watching me."  
  
"Who will be watching you?"  
  
"The people who want me destroyed in the future. They'll be checking the tunnel for me. Can you help me?"  
  
"Yeah, mija. You can stay with me."  
  
"Thanks Baby."  
  
"No problema."  
  
Matti turned to her past self.  
  
"Watch Travis today. He just tried to kill me inside. I hid in Mr. Johnson's class. I need to talk to him fifth period. Go to your classes and play la chica buena. Don't give him a reason to kill you today. Go."  
  
Matti's past self walked away. She turned back to Mickey.  
  
"Hold me. I'm losing my mind."  
  
"No problema mija. Tu es mi amor."  
  
"I love you Mickey."  
  
He tilted her head up and kissed her. They stayed in the bleachers until fifth period and then Mickey went with her to see Mr. Johnson. They found him in the office on the second floor. There were no other teachers there.  
  
Matti explained everything she could in the limited time she had. She told Mr. Johnson everything so she knew he would believe her. He knew about her abilities. He listened to her and then gave her a hall pass to the Nurse so she could officially leave the school for the day and hide.  
  
Mickey and Matti left the school and took the train back to his house. When they got there she had him hold her for a long time. She missed being in his arms like that. At sunset, she decided to try to make a leap into the future, but she had to do it slowly. She didn't want to let go of Mickey, but she couldn't let her friends get killed while she hid in the past. She kissed Mickey one last time and left. She jumped to September 13, 2002... She didn't realize at first that she had just jumped to Mickey's death.  
  
Matti looked around and slowly realization set in that she was in the time and place that Mickey got killed for her. She froze. She was trying to make another jump, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was stuck.  
  
Over the top of the hill, she could see herself with Mickey, just being held. They had come up here because she wanted to see the sunset. She sent a mental message to herself that she needed to cherish this night with Mickey. She was about to try to make another jump, when all of a sudden the tunnel opened behind her and somebody grabbed her. 


End file.
